DISHONOR
by S. Wright
Summary: Everything that happened before and after the Fourth Hokage's death had been a lie. Konoha had been the base for the most corrupt and dangerous people who sought to disrupt to the shinobi world for their own gains. Uping the rating for violence and gore.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: It is the re-imagined Naruto universe inspired by a Naruto fan video montage of the _Akatsuki_ with song from Rammstein as the soundtrack. It was awesome because the fan art used in the slide show best depicted who these shinobi were and why they the legends of their hidden villages.

Summary: Everything that happened before and after the Fourth Hokage's death had been a lie. The Hidden Village of Konoha had been the base for the most corrupt and dangerous people who sought to disrupt to the fragile peace of the shinobi world for of their fears and selfish gains.

Notes: Look at this as more of a warning than a note. There will be graphic violence, swearing, and a homosexual relationship (nothing graphic), with Iruka being wildly out of character, and there will be plenty of anti-Hyuga references because every story needs a villain, yet for the purpose of this story, I am going to need an entire clan. ^_^.

So, if you are offended by any of this, you are welcome- No, you are encouraged to read something else.

_Sean!_

* * *

><p><p>

Dishonor—A Naruto Fan fiction

Disclaimer: I do not profit from this work of fiction, I am just a fan who enjoys wondering about the plot-holes left by the original author.

Reviews are welcomed.

* * *

><p><p>

** DISHONOR **

* * *

><p><em>…gone the other way.<em>

_ Dishonor:_ _One_

A figure clad in black stood in the high grass plains that were the border between the Lands of Wind and Water. His gaze was fixed due east, his senses expanded in that direction, his sense bounced off the one he was seeking and with quicksilver grin Iruka sprinted forward with a hoot before he disappeared from the land just as quickly as he appeared.

For the last three days, in spite the seriousness of his mission, Iruka Umino was having the time of his life. Less than a month ago, his sensei returned to Konoha no Sato as the Fifth Hokage.

Tsunade-sensei, had come back to replace her for teacher, not honour her grandfather's legacy or even her master. She had come because of wild little boy with shocking blond hair and impossible blue eyes who did not know the meaning of giving up.

It should not have changed anything, Iruka would have still been in his classroom and working the mission desk without a care, but then asshole Danzo and the Third's two closest advisors, Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado, were having a little spat in the closed Council room while Iruka was going through the secretary's files for the Hokage. He kept silent but activated the recording scroll. He watched in horror as those rat finks rehashed the past, throwing blame and finger pointing at each other while threatening to sell each other out.

Iruka had never liked Danzo. The man was just too much of an ass for anyone to like. The Third had been completely intimidated by him, his oldest companions abused his trust him, and all three manipulated him. They had engineered the destruction of the Uchiha Clan; Iruka knew this because Itachi had told him. However, he did not know how they tried sale the Hyuga heiress, Hinata to Kumo. They also were responsible for the public's opinion of Naruto. They all agreed that Naruto was nothing more than a weapon, but Danzo was obsessed, he wanted Naruto under his control, he wanted him in ROOT. Now with Jiraya in the boy's life, Danzo knew his chances of having Naruto were gone.

It shocked Iruka to learn how the complicate the Third had been in all of this. How weak the man had been and terrible his friends had betrayed him. It was also why the Hokage sent him out to find and bring home Itachi. Those old bastards were not done yet. They wanted to move on the Suna and replace the Kazekage with one of their puppets. Obviously they hired Orochimaru to take out the Kazekage who brought Suna demon holder to Konoha, where they planned kill the boy once he went feral and they were going to stuff the thing into another child within the village under the pretense of "stopping it", but it was more to put Konoha on par with Kumo. Kumo currently had two demon holders within their village and they were a force to be reckoned with militarily and Danzo was feeling threatened.

The rest was just pure insanity and treason. Orochimaru had a price and Iruka was kicking himself in the ass for failing to notice. Orochimaru did what was asked of him and in return, those buzzards gave him Sasuke.

Orochimaru was coming to collect in five days; Iruka had been on the road for three. He had to find Itachi and bring him home.

*.*.*

Itachi Uchiha had felt the familiar chakra before Kisame could detect the presence of another. A frown marred his face and then in the next second Itachi was diving out of the way of barrage of throwing stars. He swore as he realized the things were rigged with exploding tags.

Behind him, Itachi heard Kisame swearing as he was caught in blast. Itachi leapt into the trees, sending a hail of stars into the tress—wouldn't you know, that idiot Iruka was down on the ground pulling a blade from Kisame's brainpan.

"This guy was best Akatsuki had to offer?" Iruka turned around to face his teammate, captain, and best friend with a cheeky grin on his face. "No wonder you never felt threatened by them."

Itachi looked down at his partner's unmoving, and much dead, body before turning back to Iruka with a shake of his head.

"You know I'm going to kill you, right?" Itachi said wearily.

With his grin still in place, Iruka tossed Itachi a scroll and said, "Yeah, I'll worry about that when we get back home, but for now, why don't you read that while I eat." And true to his word, Iruka dropped down on the ground beside the corpse and pulled out his ration pack.

Itachi looked at the hyperactive idiot once more before turning his attention to the sealed scroll. He noted the Hokage's seal and the blood markings. He raised his left thumb to his mouth, ripped the flesh, and then spread the blood over the binding. He ignored the idiot mowing down on protein bar as he quickly scanned the missive—Itachi had to stop and start reading again because he just could not understand what he was reading…His knees locked but he did not fall.

"Did Sensei tell you what was in this?"

Iruka swallowed his mouthful before answering. "I happened to be wrong place at the right time." He took another bite before continuing, "Sensei ordered me to find you and tell you that your covert mission has ended. The Council, influenced by Danzo, put a kill on sight order on your head, and they gave Foolish to Orochimaru."

"Shit," Itachi swore as he ran his hands through his hair. "They are going kill Jiraya-sama." The bastards. Itachi turned to the Iruka and shook his head, "I can't believe the Third put children in your care. Did he forget that you are insane?"

Bouncing up to his feet, Iruka made an obscene gesture. "I am one of the best covert operatives in the village, besides I kept Foolish out of trouble all this time without anyone ever become suspicious."

Itachi could not argue that fact. For the last six years, Iruka had fooled everyone in the village, making them all forget exactly who he was and who his team members once were. The Genin unit under Lady Tsunade had been the first she had ever accepted and it had only been because she saw the limitless potential of three very talented young shinobi.

Itachi was the youngest out of the group but he surpassed everyone in the Academy in skill and technique. He was a born strategist; Itachi knew how to play the game and how to win. Iruka for all his mischievous behavior was talented shinobi. He had a quick mind and the insanity to pull off anything he wanted to try. His was master of deception, stealth was his forte, and it did help that he was tad on the hyperactive side. Shizune was just as brilliant as her two male teammates. Her charka control was on par with Itachi's and she was very good with hand-to-hand combat. Shizune admired the sensei and wanted to be like her.

They all admire Lady Tsunade, a woman who thought them how to fight, to never give up, to always get back up and never stop until you were dead. She was mother, sister, best friend, and demon to them but her three students would never have any other way.

Itachi tossed the scroll back to Iruka and with a put upon sigh, Itachi reached down grabbing the pack at Iruka's side. Itachi pulled out the Konoha uniform he knew Shizune had sent for him along with the new headband their overbearing sensei would have most defiantly included to make sure he understood that this was a command that was not opened for discussion.

"After this is over, Sensei is going to kick your ass." Iruka told him.

Itachi said nothing as he stripped out his clothes. He ignored Iruka who was full from his breakfast and was now working on dismembering Kisame's corpse. Itachi was going to burn the Mizu nin's corpse and the scatter the ashes as they rushed back to Konoha.

Less than an hour later the two Konoha shinobi were crossing out of the woods and racing towards the open plains of Wind. Kisame ashes were in six little pouches that Itachi was carrying and he would be tossing to the wind every fifty kilometers to ensure he was never resurrected. His sword was sealed anyway in blood bound scroll. It would be consigned to Hokage and hopefully never drawn again.

The journey was a quick one. The pair never stopped longer than a new few minutes, they energy tablets and high protein rations allowed them the energy needed to make their three-day journey in less than two and it they arrived not a moment too soon.

_*.*.*_

Sasuke Uchiha leapt away from the clawed hand that almost ripped out his throat. He kicked off the appendage and flung three kunai at the wild, blond hair boy who looked very much like a demon in his eyes.

Naruto easily dodged each of the razor sharp blades, allowing them to fall harmlessly into the murky river below his feet. He moved with a grace that one could never accuse Naruto of, and it served to infuriate Sasuke even more.

Sasuke landed in a crouch on the crumbling walls of the cliff face on the side of the moment of his ancestor, Madra Uchiha. Naruto was below prowling along the rushing river's surface, his cat-like amber eyes never leaving the dark-haired boy. He watched Sasuke, waiting for him to make a move either to flee or fight before Naruto would attack.

A cool sharp breeze flowed through the Valley of the End, bringing it all the scents that Sasuke had always identified with Konoha. His heart was conflicted. He did not want to leave but the promises whispered in his fevered mind were far too tempting for him to ignore. Sasuke needed to avenge his clan and reclaim his honour. The only way Sasuke could do either of those was to defeat his brother. The people of the village knew this, they knew this, because this was all Sasuke heard since the day he walked into the village as the last Uchiha.

So why the pretensions now? Why was it so wrong for him to leave now? All he had ever been told was that he, Sasuke, was an avenger and it was his duty as the last honourable Uchiha—the voice inside his head was urging Sasuke to abandon this fight. Too much time was being wasted here and others were coming.

Yes, Naruto was a distraction, but Sasuke would never run from him. Sasuke ignored the voice in his head and the burning in his shoulder as he shifted his weight into a more comfortable stance. Below him, Naruto crouched down, tucking his legs beneath his body in preparation.

There was clink of metal and the sharp snap of cloth blowing in the wind as Sasuke secured his forehead protector against his brow. Light caught on the metal plate as the sound of a thousand chirping birds screamed in the silence.

A mighty roar filled the air as the two boys launched themselves at each other with the most lethal attacks in their arsenals, Sasuke's _Chidori_ against Naruto's _Rasengan_, were just a hair breath away from striking when out of nowhere something hard and heavy plowed into Sasuke's left side. Out of the corner of his eye, Sasuke saw a staff slam into Naruto then Sasuke was laying face first in the dirt. There was a knee pressed against the back of his neck and his arms were bent back in a horrible position. Suddenly there was snap, Sasuke cried out in pain, as both his right shoulder and elbow were dislocated.

The chakra in his hand died off abruptly and when his attacker assumed he had neutralized the boy, Sasuke was pulled up. He felt a hand on the back of his neck. Sasuke tried to blink the dirt from his eyes, the hand on his neck kept him from moving his head as his assailant probed the seal on his neck.

"Shit, this is a fucking virus," he heard a familiar voice muttered in complete disgust. "What the hell did that bastard infect you with, Foolish?"

Foolish? Sasuke's eyes opened in fright at the old nickname that no one ever called him but—"Itachi?" he gasped.

There was a chuckle, friendly and jovial in his ears then Sasuke screamed as a terrible pain cut through his body. It was worst than anything Sasuke had ever felt before, the voice in his head was yelling, every nerve ending in his body was on fire as his body muscles locked up from the overwhelming agony that filled burned through him. It hurt so bad that Sasuke lost control of his bladder and bowels, but it did not stop, dear god it would not stop.

Sasuke was laid on the ground, his vision blurred and his body shook as cold raced through him. His assailant moved, rushing over to where Naruto lay helpless like Sasuke with another person kneeling beside him. The two assailants spoke briefly, then Naruto was gathered into the arms of the one of men, and then they returned to Sasuke.

Sasuke tried to turn to see what the one that held Naruto was doing, but a gentle hand on his face directed Sasuke's gaze to the second stranger and he rasped out through tightly clinched teeth, "_'tachi_."

Dark eyes met Sasuke's then became blood red with a spinning five point stars. "Everything will be fine, little brother," Itachi murmured. "Just rest, you and Naruto will be home soon."

* * *

><p>Okay, so tell me what you all think.<p>

Later.


	2. Chapter 2

_Dishonor: Two_

Lady Tsunade Senji, the newly elected Fifth Hokage of Konoha waited with a cold eye as the two old vultures Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado left her office. Once the door was closed, the seal was raised and Jiraya appeared from the shadows.

A look of revulsion on his face mirrored the disgust Tsunade felt for those creatures. The Uchiha boy had not been gone even a day and those two were ready to declare the child a Missing Nin and put a bounty on his head.

Officially, Sasuke Uchiha was missing, kidnapped from his hospital bed by unknown assailants. Tsunade was not loathed to admit that she had discredited the reputation of a young kunochi, but the girl, Haruno, was an overly dramatic whimpering thing who was crying to anyone that would listen to her that Uchiha had gone rogue. With the Council breathing down her neck as they worked to unseat her, Tsunade really did not need to deal with a child who seemed only to want to cry.

Once this was over, Tsunade vowed to look into the training of the female shinobi. If the Haruno chit was any indication of what they were churning out today, Tsunade feared greatly for the female corps of Konoha shinobi. Pushing those thoughts aside for later, Tsunade focused her attention on her former teammate and fellow Sannin.

Jiraya, for the last two days had been conducting his own investigations within the village to help him come to terms with the level of deception from their teacher and the Council. Twelve years ago, seven months after Naruto Namikaze's birth, Jiraya was given a mission by the Third Hokage, a long-term mission that would keep out of Konoha for an extended period. Up until that time, Naruto had been in Jiraya's care. There were photographs that Third had kept that showed a happy, healthy little baby who was well loved and cared for by Jiraya. There was even a photograph of Naruto and Sasuke together in Jiraya's house, both babies were staring at the camera with tiny smiles on their faces. For seven months of his life, Naruto was loved, dotted upon, spoiled, and was cared for. Jiraya arranged for Naruto's care. He was given over to the Jiraya's only living student at the time, Mikoto Uchiha. Jiraya left an account for Naruto's care, he did not want to burden the Uchihas and he wanted to ensure that Naruto received the best, just as Minato wanted.

For years, because of his mission, Jiraya did not receive updates on the child's care. After hearing about the massacre, Jiraya sent instructions to the Third to have Naruto moved into an apartment with a caretaker or to send him to the Land of Waves to be in the care of his mother's relatives. He left instructions for Naruto to attend the village primary school and then later the Shinobi Academy. Tutors were to be hired, clothing was to be purchased, and Naruto was to be treated as if he were Jiraya's grandson.

When he did return to the village and met Naruto for the first time, he was surprised that the boy did not know him, but Jiraya covered it well and though he was playing along with a spoiled child's game. Because his mission had brought him back to Fire Country, Jiraya was unaware of Naruto's living conditions.

Three days after he was gone, the Council swept into the Uchiha District and confiscated Naruto. Mikoto fought back, she demanded to know why her friends' son was taken away from her and abandoned in some orphanage. Her letters of protest to the Third about Naruto's living conditions and the abuse by the villagers the Third for some reason kept. Tsunade handed those over to Jiraya first.

The Council, in their arrogance, changed Naruto's family name to Uzumaki and removed Kushina from all the Shinobi records. Naruto's inheritance was taken and split amongst the council members and the money Jiraya left for the boy's care went to the village's coffers.

The Uzumaki's clan did contact the village and were seeking custody of the child, but the Daimyo, denied their requests. Wave and Water did not have the political clout of Konoha and Fire, so the other nations chose not to interfere. Naruto was a prisoner of Konoha and victim of Danzo. The Council did everything in their power that would give them the excuse to pull him into the ROOT. Records from the Academy revealed that when Naruto graduated, the child was semi-literate. When he came to the Academy, Naruto could not write his own name nor could he do simple Mathematics. Naruto's social skills were, and sadly still are, terribly underdeveloped. Naruto learned to speak from listening to the people in the area around his apartment building. He screams and yell since he never learned how to properly express his himself or his feelings. He was terribly underweight, his vision was imperfect, and list goes on.

From the medical records, the Academy records, and the files that the Third had on the child, Jiraya did not know what to think or do at this point. He was still having a difficult time reconciling this with the gentle, peaceful man that had been his teacher.

"After the Uchiha Massacre, I should have come back," Jiraya said sadly. He sat down heavily on the couch opposite of Tsunade. From his position, Jiraya was looking at the stone face of his student and his heart broke again.

"The village's treatment of her godson most likely led to Mikoto siding with Uchiha Elders in their plot to overthrow the Council." Tsunade told him.

"Miki would do anything in her power to achieve her way." Jiraya replied with a sad smile.

"She must have felt that there was no other option." With a deep sigh, Tsunade rolled to her feet and went to her desk. "That girl was always too much like her father." She did not miss the look of guilt that crossed Jiraya's face. "Yet that is the past, we need to focus on the here and now."

Jiraya shook his head, attempting to shake the feelings of regret off to focus on their current situation. "Have you heard back from your little monkey?"

"I have," Tsunade picked up a small missive that had been delivered to her that morning via a crow, "My students were a few hours out of Fire Country around dawn, I sent them orders to intercept Sasuke and to bring the boy back. It has to look like a kidnapping and luckily, they were able to come across several of Orochimaru men who were waiting at border to escort Sasuke into Sound."

"Was Kabuto among them?" he asked eagerly.

"No," the Hokage did not attempt to hide her disappointment, "Kabuto is not only Orochimaru's Number Two, he also serves as his personal physician, I doubt Orochimaru lets that little creeper out of his sight for very long." Tsunade's gaze rested on a plain, unadorned portfolio that had been on her desk since yesterday. "Jiraya, the reason I called you here was not to discuss the Uchiha brothers or Orochimaru."

The Toad Sage frowned at his long time friend's back wondering what could be more important at the present, "This thing with the Council is rather serious," he reminded her, "What could be more important than this?"

"Naruto," she turned back to him, her expression was fearsome and heartbreaking, "I won't mince words, Jiraya, what was done to that child was inhuman. The fact that he survived is a testament of his strength and the pride of the Uzumakis. I will not allow this village to continue to dishonor the contributions and the sacrifices of the Uzumaki Clan, or shame the memory of my Grandmother and Lady Kushina. Nor shall I allow them to shame the faith Minato had in his people." She returned to her seat across from and placed the portfolio on the table. "When Naruto returns, you are to take him from the village and deliver him to his grandfather in Wave. A message was sent to Noriko Uzumaki two days ago. Kushina was his only child and Naruto is his only relative outside of his wife's family."

Hesitantly, Jiraya reached for the file, "We are to turn him over then?"

"No, we are saving his life." Tsunade nodded at the file. "Also, I am reassigning you as Naruto's personal guard and teacher. The child, for his lack of academic success, is rather intelligent, I would dare say a genius. I want him natured and given every chance to succeed, for he will be the next Hokage."

Jiraya opened the file and was not surprised by what it contained, but he wanted Tsunade to confirm his speculations.

"Naruto's family name was never officially changed by the Council. He is still registered within the village's records as Naruto Minato Namikaze. You have his passport and citizenship papers, along with the guardianship forms that will give Uzumaki-san peremant custody of his grandson. I have also restored Naruto's inheritance, and drafted restitution papers that pay for the years of neglect and torment this child has lived through and the indignities he had suffered. You have also been reimbursed for all the money you left for the child but was pilfered by the Council and the Third Hokage." She settled back against her seat as she regarded the white haired man, "I know you don't like this, Jiraya. Everything about this goes against your nature and that is the reason I cannot allow either you or Naruto to be here when I go against the Council."

"You are going to upset the peace of the village." He told her, even though he knew such a warning was pointless.

Tsunade expression turned grim, "This village is corrupt and dangerous. I will not allow either part of my family legacy to be shamed. I am as much an Uzumaki as I am a Senji. I will remind these people of their history even if I have to destroy them."

_*.*.*_

Kakashi Hatake had gone into forest surrounding Konoha not knowing what expected but he knew not to expect anything good.

He had gone on mission oddly enough assigned to him by the Council. He did not want to leave, he knew Sasuke's state of mind, the boy was half-mad because of that a bloody seal on neck. The boy was reckless, driven, and terribly angry that Kakashi requested that Sasuke be placed under surveillance until Kakashi's return.

Yet Sasuke still managed to get out of the village and was presumably on his way to Orochimaru.

Pushing more charka into his legs and feet, Kakashi sped through the trees towards the place he felt both his male students' chakra emanating from.

When he did arrive at the Valley of the End, it was to a sight Kakashi never expected. Sasuke stood in a defensive position next to Naruto and five dead men lay near. Kakashi neatly dodged the kunai Sasuke hurtled in his direction and stepped into the perimeter so the allowing the exhausted boy to see him.

Sasuke stared at the man blankly, almost as if he did not believe his own eyes, but his gaze quickly sharpened and Sasuke forced his battered and exhausted body to move into between Kakashi and his downed teammate.

"Sasuke," Kakashi started forward but stopped immediately at the harsh glare he received. Raising his hands with his palms up, Kakashi looked helplessly at his student before taking in the sight around them before turning his perplexed gaze back to his student. "Help me understand, Sasuke, I thought you had left the village."

Sasuke tightened his hold on the hilt of his kunai, "Tell me who you are?" He challenged.

Kakashi nodded to show he understood, "I am Kakashi Hatake, Jounin First Class and Jounin instructor for Genin Cell number Seven," he answered. He reached up and removed his hitate to reveal his spinning Sharingan Eye.

Sasuke's Sharingan activated in reaction the other's and with a wearied sigh, the boy lowered his arms and fell his knees beside his teammate.

"Sensei," the child breathed in an exhausted tone that was colored with relief.

Kakashi raced forward, sparing a quick glance at Sasuke before moving to check Naruto over. The little blond boy's clothes were ruined, just much as Sasuke's, both were covered in blood, mostly their own but more was from their attackers. Naruto seemed fine; the Kyuubi's chakra was working to heal his injuries, so Kakashi left Naruto for a moment to tend to Sasuke.

He had noticed that Sasuke's right arm had been hanging awkwardly while the boy held him off. Kakashi looked over Sasuke's entire right side and swore. How in the hell had he missed the kunai standing up right in Sasuke's shoulder.

"It was the only way to stop the voice," Kakashi heard Sasuke rasp out. With his left hand, Sasuke gestured to the bodies scattered around them. "They took me from my hospital room after you brought me back." Sasuke told his teacher, "There were two teams, I don't know how they got into the village, but there they were." He cried out when Kakashi pulled the knife out.

"What happened next?" The masked man asked as he began to clean and inspect the wound.

Through tightly clenched teeth, Sasuke answered, "One of them shifted into me." He choked back a scream as Kakashi probed the area were that seal had been. "I guess they wanted it to look as if I really defected?"

"You cut the shit out of your shoulder," Kakashi told him.

"Before you arrived, the voice and the seal were pulling me to leave." Sasuke swallowed hard. "It was the only way to make it stop, Sensei." He turned haunted eyes towards the distance, "Something out there wants me, Kakashi-sensei. I don't know what it is, but please, don't let get me."

* * *

><p>Okay, tell me what you think. I like reading what you guys think about the stuff that floats around in my head and spends about a year on my computer.<p>

Sean


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Note: In my humble opinion Orochimaru is so misunderstood. That being said, the next chapter will have a time jump of sorts. In this chapter, Tsunade's war on the Council is just kicking off, and no, I am not attacking Sakura.

As stated before, reviews are welcomed.

* * *

><p><em>Dishonor: Three<em>

* * *

><p>Sakura Haruno raced into local hospital with a bright blush on her face and tears in her eyes. Sasuke-kun had been brought back, he was back, and she was so desperately relieved.<p>

Sakura ran all the way from her home to the hospital in the center of the village, she had not the time freshen up or buy flowers for Sasuke, but she knew he would appreciate her presence more than seeing her in a pretty dress or having flowers. Her being there with him, for him, would show Sasuke that she was truly devoted to him and he would realize that no one else in the village could ever love him the way she does, and finally he would understand that he loved her as well.

At the hospital, Sakura noticed the line the rows upon girls, young women, and slightly older women filling the reception area. They were all dressed in their best and each carrying flowers and other gifts and they were all there to see Sasuke.

Suddenly self-conscious, Sakura backed away into a far corner, her callous hands smoothing over her shorn hair and the front of her jumper. Maybe Sasuke would overlook her plain clothes and short hair, she tried to bolster her self-confidence. Maybe Sasuke would—Sakura looked around the room again and her confidence faltered.

Before Sakura look down again, a man in long white coat stepped into the reception area. He eyed the suddenly preening women with look of pure disgust before speaking in stern, commanding voice that left no room for argument.

"As the nurses have told you all, Sasuke Uchiha was not brought to this facility. Clear out of this waiting area, this is a hospital. If you are not sick, dying, or visiting a family member, clear off these premises immediately or you will be arrested of loitering." He signaled the small contincy of Chunin that appeared in the entrance..

The women were putting up a fight, demanding to know where Sasuke was while treating to file a complaint with the Hokage, only a few were actually arrested, the rest were let go with a warning. Sakura managed to escape both because she was said that she had come to see both her teammates. It was wrong and cruel of her to use Naruto like that, but Sakura was desperate. One of the Chunin asked the nurse on duty if Naruto Uzumaki had been brought in. Neither boy was there.

*.*.*

Jiraya looked down at the small, fragile body of his godson, watching the child's chest rise slowly in an even pattern. The worst of his injuries had been healed, the only thing left to do was to make sure they made it to Wave by dawn.

Gamabuto bound quickly over the landscape, the giant beast's was steady and soothing to Jiraya's jumbled nerves and confused heart. Tsunade was right, he had come to realize Jiraya would have sought to compromise with the Council and forgive them for their crimes if it meant maintaining the peace within the village. He would have sided with the Council because it was what his teacher had done. He would have fought for Naruto, Jiraya was sure of that, he would have been angry too, but if he was still in the dark about the true depth of the Council's deception—

He didn't want to think about this anymore.

Jiraya looked down into that small face with three odd birthmarks adorning his cheekbones and his heart ached. There was so much they needed to undo and fix to make the boy healthy, both physically and mentally, there was so much that needed to be done, that Jiraya wondered if he was up to the task. Yet, he owed it to the kid to try, for Minato and Kushina, he would try to help Naruto become the man his parents wanted him to be.

_Dishonor_

Sasuke woke up in a single bed inside a simple room. He laid there for a moment, staring at the ceiling with wondering what he was going to do now. Yesterday, after he woke up the second time after his surgeries, Kakashi had been in this room, asleep in an awkward position in an armchair. The chair was now sat in a corner near the only window in the room, from the window, Sasuke could see the forests and tops of the mountains that bordered Konoha. It was at that very window Sasuke watched the legendary Toad Sage whisk Naruto away from their village on the back of the gigantic clothed toad that Naruto had summoned to help him fight that Gaara kid from Suna.

Naruto had been asleep, Sasuke had seen the Hokage pass Jiraya-sama a scroll before she bent down to kiss Naruto's brow. When he asked Kakashi about it during his second visit, Kakashi had told him Naruto was going home to his mother's clan. The news was rather surprising considering that Naruto had lived his entire life in the village as an unwanted orphan and troublemaker. It also left a sick feeling in Sasuke's stomach. Before he could dwell on his friend's change of status, Kakashi pushed on and this was what had the thirteen-year-old boy wondering what he was going to do with his life.

Everything thing he had known since the age of eight was a lie, a terrible lie that was meant to destroy the old Uchiha Clan and the village elders would rebuild it in their own image. Itachi had been forced to take the blame in the entire affair and was forced out of the village under the badge of a traitor, beholden to will of Council to protect his brother.

At first Sasuke did not believe Kakashi, it was too horrific to believe. Itachi had the _Manguko Sharingan_, there was only one-way to achieve that. You have to kill the person closest to you. Sasuke remembered his father and other members of their clan approaching Itachi after the death of their cousin, Itachi's best friend, Shisui…That was the only way Itachi would have developed that terrible _Sharingan_.

But that was not the case. Itachi did not develop his own _Manguko_, he received Itachi's was given to him by none other than their mother, Mikoto. Sasuke had been too young to know much about his mother other than what he saw every day. His mother had been a sweet, kind, gentle woman who doted on her two sons. Sasuke did not know his mother had been a shinobi until the moment Kakashi told him. In the Bingo book from eighteen years before, Mikoto was listed as an ANBU captain with the rank of Jounin First Class. She had been second in her graduating class, following a close second behind Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage. Mikoto was considered the genius of her clan and within the village. She and Minato were rivals, and ironically, they wound up in the same Genin Cell with Jiraya-sama as their instructor.

The Uchiha Elders did not want to lose such a brilliant talent nor see it passed along to lower branch within the clan, so in their wisdom they decided to wed Mikoto to clan leader's eldest son, Fugaku, a Chunin who a lackluster shinobi with no talents beyond the basic Uchiha fighting techniques.

Sasuke remembered the bitterness in their house. Sasuke remembered his father awkwardness when Itachi would talk of his training and how his father would glare and belittle the boys' mother but Sasuke never understood why until now. His father had been a failure, a spoiled brat who had received everything, the clan heir, but he was outranked by the woman forced to marry him and bear him children. Kakashi told him that Fugaku had tried to steal or outright deny Mikoto's history and with the help of the Elders and the Council, it was done.

Yet in spite all of that had been done to her and her sons by that man and the elders, Mikoto joined the Uchihas in their plan to overthrow the Council and depose the Hokage. She did this with the desperate plan to save her friends child, a little child who was ripped viciously from her arms and thrust into an orphanage and was being made to suffer for no reason other greed.

Sasuke was still coming to grips with that part as well. It was easy to see that Naruto was that child, Kakashi did not need to tell Sasuke that, it what he said next that threw Sasuke in tumult. Before Mikoto went to Uchiha elders, she went to her father. She had taken Sasuke with her, he remembered that, he remembered it was his first time outside the village and in a new place, a little town that was just on the border of Fire and Grass countries. Sasuke remembered being held by a man with long black hair that flecked with silver, his mother had told him to call the man 'Ji-Ji'.

The man, Ji-Ji, had offered him sweet tea and a bun with sweet red bean paste. Sasuke played with a little snake Ji-Ji had made for him while Ji-Ji and his mother spoke. Sasuke had not paid much attention to conversation, but did notice when his mother gave Ji-Ji a photograph. Sasuke and his mother stayed the night a small in and the next morning they left for their home.

Sasuke had asked if they would see Ji-Ji again, his mother smiled down at him but she didn't answer, instead she lifted him to her back and leapt into the trees. Sasuke now knew the name of the man, his name was Orochimaru and he had been Mikoto's father.

And he wanted revenge.

*.*.*

Kakashi reluctantly left Sasuke in his room. Though the safe house was in a secure location, but one never knew with how desperate Orochimaru had gotten to Sasuke before and he would he would do to get the child now that Sasuke had evaded his clutches yet again.

Sasuke had destroyed the seal Orochimaru had put on his shoulder and freed himself from the Orochimaru's compulsion and then Lady Tsunade had extracted the poison and a mutation virus that had still been in Sasuke's blood stream, both of which would have eventually killed him if he did not go to Orochimaru. This had all been documented and was now being presented as evidence by the Hokage who was fighting the two powerful elders of the Council who seemed to desperately wanted Sasuke severely punished for apparently being kidnapped.

Never had Kakashi felt so helpless in any situation. He was forbidden to speak except when to give his testimony before the assemblage of clan leaders, the elders, and the Lord Daimyo. Yet before going in, Lady Tsunade promised him that everything would work out. Her expression was hard and her gaze was unrelenting, Kakashi had not felt so relived and safe since Minato-sensei was Hokage. Kakashi put his faith and trust in the amber-eyed woman, she would not allow any of them to be hurt again.

The Hyugas were ready to condemn Sasuke even before the first word had been spoken. Thankfully the Naras were more patient and as the debriefing continued, they sided more with the Hokage. The Inuzuka were split down the middle. Their heir had been injured by one of Orochimaru's men and they were quiet willing to put the blame for this on Sasuke. Yet it was Akimichi and Aburame clans that pushed the deciding factor in Sasuke's favor due to Shikaku Nara having asked a question that neither of the elders were two eager to answer and when they did, it not reason enough to warrant the level of punish they were seeking or any punishment at all.

Why were the elders so desperate to condemn the boy who did fought against his kidnappers and defended his teammate?

Not used to having her views or judgments questioned by those deemed lesser than she, Koharu, with an edge of impatience coloring her words, reminded the assembled Sakura had seen Sasuke as he was leaving the village and that he was alone. The old woman knew that there was nothing to refute Sakura's statement of had happed that night, no one could refute what the girl claimed.

While Koharu-san was speaking, Shizune, Lady Tsunade assistant, had been quietly distributing portfolios to council members and the Lord Daimyo. If Kakashi could have described the Lady Tsunade at that moment, the term he would have chosen would have been smug. Yes, the Hokage look smug as if she finally managed to maneuver her prey into the position she wanted as she sprung her trap on them.

Before them were now copies of Sasuke's statement regarding the events, that coupled with Kakashi's report would have been enough to prove the child's innocence, however, Koharu would not be swayed. She doubted Kakashi's testimony, she did not call him a liar outright, but she came damned close enough.

Kakashi felt Shikaku's gaze on him, they both were wondering the same thing: Why was Elders of the Council fighting so hard to brand Sasuke a traitor?

"I understand your concerns, Elder Utatane," Tsunade said evenly as she met the skeptical gaze of the older woman, "Please allow me to put to rest your fears regarding Sasuke Uchiha. The Investigation Unit, under the command of Anko Mitarashi, did search Uchiha's hospital room and indeed discover signs of a struggle that collaborate Uchiha version of events. There was a witness who came forward after being treated for foolishly trying to stop kidnappers."

"A witness, my Lady?" Shikaku asked coolly for even he was a bit surprised by the sudden turn of events.

"Yes, a witness," Tsunade smiled, it was as sharp as a kunai and just as dangerous. "It Uchiha's former teacher at the Academy, Iruka Umino."

_Dishonor_

Itachi had been debriefed and was now resting in a hidden room in the Hokage's Tower. Tsunade had insisted that he have full check up and she proceeded to box him about the ears. Itachi was in the first stages of leukemia and his eyes were a mess from the constant use of the Sharingan. Being undercover, Itachi had not been able to seek proper medical care and for the last few months, he had been suffering terribly. Tsunade reversed the damage but his body was going to need time to recover and that was what Itachi was doing, resting because the worst was before them with both Orochimaru and _Akatsuki_ looking at them.

Orochimaru was not going to go away. Itachi had met his grandfather two years after the Massacre and Itachi had been forever grateful for his mother's tutelage. Orochimaru had tried to kill Itachi on-sight. Hatred had burned in those cold yellow eyes and nothing short of Itachi's death would have ever appeased him. Madra had tried to tell Itachi that it was different, but then Madra had not been there when Orochimaru swore that he would have his revenge on the Uchihas and Konoha and avenge his daughter's death.

Orochimaru wanted them all dead, Madra had a bounty on the man's head, but just like a snake, Orochimaru managed to evade him and attack with deadly precision on vulnerable positions. One of those vulnerable positions Itachi had thought he had protected had been his brother. The Third had promised Itachi that Sasuke would be safe in the village and that he would grow up with the honor, respect of a cherished clan, and would be made into a great shinobi and the old man tried to honor promise made to a thirteen-year-old boy who had been forced to murder his entire clan.

If Iruka was to be believed, and Itachi did trust that scatterbrain, the Third had begun to pushing back against his council. He had been trying to change Uzumaki's circumstances after that traitor Mizuki convinced the child to steal Konoha's scroll of Forbidden Jutsu and Seals. The Council was ready to throw the child to Danzo, they finally had the ammunition they so desperately wanted but the Third said no. The old man tried to change, in the letters Tsunade-sensei was reading were sad and pathetic. The Third knew who was responsible for the Fourth's death and the murder of his wife, but he chose to take out his pain on an innocent child often by ignoring his abuse and neglect. The Third had been partly culpable in Madra's attempt to steal the Kyuubi. When the council failed to concivence the Fourth that Kushina should give birth in a facility that was outside of the village, the Third went in and persuaded the Fourth that it would be best.

The Council had been willing to sacrifice both Kushina-sama and Naruto for their own greed. What Itachi knew now was that the Third and Council had willing aligned themselves with the Madra. They participated in the slaughter of the original Ataski in Ame, and assassinating the leader Yashio. Konoha had raided Wave shortly before the Third left office and began killing Uzumakis, many of them fled to Ame and hid deep within Water Country until about ten years ago.

Tsunade was livid, but she was also hurt.

Her family had founded Konoha with the Uchihas, the treaty with once rich and influential Uzumaki clan led to their success and the establishment of a powerful shinobi nation, but these people, this cruel, malicious people destroyed everything that once defined Konoha.

From his room in his sensei's house, Itachi rested and waited for the moment he would be called back into service.

* * *

><p><em>Thanks for reading.<em>


	4. Chapter 4

Sorry for the delay, but I have been celebrating my birthday for the last few days and I plan to keep going until next week!

Please excuse the insanity towards the end of this chapter. I wanted something to put in something light and ridiculous with Itachi having a mini mental breakdown.

As stated before, reviews are welcomed.

* * *

><p><em>Dishonor: Four<em>

* * *

><p><em><strong>Year One<strong>_

It had been a little over a year since he had been in Konoha and each day spent away had Naruto longing for the day he could return. He lay in the shadows cast by the trees stretching over the roof of the family's storeroom.

"Namikaze-sama," a familiar and loathsome voice called from the distance, searching for his charge since dinner had passed and it was now time for the boy's studies to resume. Naruto slunk down further on the rooftop as he willed the annoying tutor to disappear. Naruto listening to the slap of the man's sandals fade into the distance, as he scurried off to find his charge. A quick glance over the roof and Naruto watched the man disappear inside the house Naruto now lived in.

The place was a large,_machiya_, a traditional style home complete with several gardens, a storehouse and a separate warehouse for the pearls his grandfather shipped out to the markets in other nations. This was his mother's home had live in until she was sent to Konoha to become the vessel of the nine-tailed demon, Kyuubi, and Naruto hated it with a passion.

Being in Wave, in the house his mother grew up in with his grandfather, reminded Naruto of the betrayal done to him by his father's village. If Naruto had nothing else in this world, he believed in the Third Hokage. The old man had been kind to Naruto when everyone else wanted to have nothing to do with him. He sometime bought Naruto a bowl of ramen and he showed the boy how to write his name after the teachers in the academy complained about Naruto not signing his assignments, not that the child ever completed them since he did not understand most of the words and the teachers refused explain the lessons to him. The old man would sometimes show Naruto picture books and would help him learn new words…

Naruto thought about the five books waiting for him in his study room. In the last year he had done nothing but study, his grandfather and Jiraya allowed him to do little else. He was attending the village's only schoolhouse. Naruto could not play pranks, his grandfather had scolded him after the first time and the second time he had shamed Naruto by rebuffing him in public and then making Naruto apologize to not only his teacher and classmates, but the parent of his classmates and the village elders.

Naruto had never been so humiliated in his life. He thought to runaway then, he really did but then he saw stumbled past the family shrine as saw the photographs of his parents. His grandfather was praying to them, asking them of the patience and love to undo all the damaged that had been done to their son.

Hot shame sufficed through his body while listening to his grandfather tell the photographs of his dead parents about Naruto's "behavioral problems" and his unwillingness to learning anything that did not relate to ninjutsu. At first Naruto was at first hurt however, by the time the Naruto joined his grandfather and Jiraya at the table for supper that hurt had transformed into full-on rage.

He was not damaged; there was nothing wrong with him. Naruto screamed and cried defending the Third Hokage against what Naruto at the time though were unfair accusations. There were a lot of orphans in Konoha, the village could not afford to take of them all nor could the Third have been expected to show preference for Naruto since it would have been unfair to the other children.

Naruto had been trained by the village elders and its citizens very well. Jiraya had disgusted when he asked Naruto to repeat everything he had just said. Not understanding the man's ire, Naruto hesitantly repeated every reason why he was left alone to be abused by the entire village, why he alone was the only child ever made to live in the conditions that Naruto has existed for his entire life.

Jiraya was so angry and so hurt that he could not find the voice to express his rage. Instead, Jiraya pulled out an old leather wallet. He opened it up and shoved the thing in the confused child's face.

"That's you at five months," Jiraya hissed through tightly clenched teeth.

Reluctantly, Naruto took the wallet, his eyes fixed on the laughing infant photograph. He recognized the blond hair and the whiskered birthmarks immediately. The baby Naruto in the photograph was happy, the younger Jiraya was smiling even though another baby was using Jiraya's hair to help him stand.

"There's another one right behind that one." Jiraya nodded.

Without a word, Naruto opened the flipped the page and this time his breath caught in his throat. In this photograph, Naruto was still a baby, but a little bit older. He was dressed in a dark bodysuit that had the Uchiha fan in the middle. Naruto was in the arms of a very extremely beautiful woman, the same woman who used to bring him warm meals and clean clothes every day before she was murdered.

It was Mikoto Uchiha, Sasuke's mother.

Naruto remembered Mikoto-sama, he used to called her Miki-mama because no matter where he would go, she would find him, hold him, smile at him, and love—

"When I was sent away, I left you in Mikoto's care." Jiraya told him, "I also left instructions that should anything happen ever happen to her that you were to be send to your grandfather. You were the sole recipient of your father's estate and Kushina's pension. I also left a monthly stipend for your care and my home was yours if for some reason your grandfather chose not to accept you. Naruto, you never had to suffer, everything was put into place for you to have a happy, safe, and secure life, but the Third put you into the horrible position. He took you from Mikoto, he denied your grandfather his rights to you, and he stole your inheritance because his friends wanted to make sure that you were a danger to society. They wanted to say that you were Kyuubi—"

Sudden hope bloomed in the boy's desperate eyes as denial quickly moved back in to shut the blinders on what his hero had done and allowed to be done to him. "So the Third did not want to do it, his friends made him do all those things to me?" Naruto tried to rationalize, "The Third did not mean—"

A heavy fist slammed down on the tabletop, ending Naruto's pathetic babble. Jiraya glared at the child as he ground out in the menacing voice the boy had ever heard from him, "Saratobi-sensei was the Hokage," Jiraya spat out the words with contempt. "He had the final word on everything that was done within the Village and how it affected the lives of the people there. I will not let you dishonor his position by saying that he was manipulated by his Council. I will not let you excuse him for what he had allowed to be conducted during his reign as he refused to stand up. If we do that, then there is never anyone at fault. Even though you want to deny the truth, Naruto, Saratobi-sensei signed off on everything that happened to you. He knew what the Elders were doing yet he remained silent. But what is unforgiveable to me and the Uzumaki Clan was that the Third allowed Madra Uchiha into the village the night that you were born so Madra could take the Kyuubi. Your parents did not have to die, no one had to die, but the Third and the Council made a deal with Madra behind your father's back. Saratobi-sensei allowed you to be the scapegoat for their failed deal. He allowed it and then threw you to the wolves because he was a coward. There is no forgiveness for him, kid. You need to face that truth and let the rest of the bullshit go. You did not deserve to have any of this to happen to you. You were loved, you have a family, you were never alone, but this was all denied to you for no other reason other than greed."

Naruto was left speechless and hurt. There were no victims in Naruto's world, there were good guys and heroes along with bad guys and villains. The Third had always been a good guy in Naruto's book and the Fourth was a hero. Even the people in the village, despite all the wrongs they had done to him, they were still good people, they just needed to get to know him and respect him and one day they were going to see that he was really a hero and then they would make him Hokage.

Naruto ran out of his grandfather's house with tears streaming down his face as he fought to deny everything that Jiraya had said. Except this time it was different. Unlike Naruto's grandfather who could only speculate on the life his grandson had lived and how deeply he had suffered, Jiraya had been there from the beginning and come back at the end. Jiraya showed Naruto the life he once had and all that had been taken from him. There had been no reason for any of that to had happened to him, only it did.

Later that night, when he came trudging back to his grandfather's house, Naruto was surprised to find the old man waiting for him. There had been an uncomfortable moment before his grandfather patted the space on the porch beside him. Tiredly, Naruto sank down on the wooden floor and after a moment his grandfather handed him a small wooden cup filled with warm tea.

"Jiraya-san did not say those things to hurt you Naruto," Noriku said breaking the long silence. "But you must understand that he also hurting, we all are because our faith in people whom we respected and trusted to protect the one we loved was sorely misplaced."

At first Naruto did not understand what his grandfather meant, empathy was lost on a boy who was never shown much affection in his life, Naruto's understanding of emotions basic that it would take almost two week for him to fully comprehend what his grandfather said.

But that night, while sitting on the porch with his grandfather, Naruto had come to realize that the world was not as simple as he wanted it to be. He remembered his grandfather putting an arm around his shoulders while Naruto cried but they never spoke of the betrayal ever again.

"Naruto," he heard the familiar raspy voice of his grandfather call from the distance. Swearing under his breath, Naruto hurried from his hiding spot and leapt down from the roof of the barn. He landed in a low crouch on the floor of the corral and pushed himself from that position into a sprint towards the house. Naruto had learned his lesson, his grandfather had to call for Naruto twice if the boy wanted his _ninjutsu_ lessons. Jiraya would be back tomorrow and he had promised Naruto he would teach new technique. His grandfather was quick to suspend all training so Naruto hurried inside, stopping long enough to remove his geta as he ran to his classroom.

Niroki smiled as the pale yellow blur of his grandson yakata flew by the door of his study. The boy did not know it, but he was beginning to heal. Niroki turned to look at the smiling photograph of his daughter that sat on the corner of his writing table. She was some in some wood, dressed in her ANBU uniform with holding her mask in one hand, her free arm was thrown around the broad shoulders of the man she would later marry. They both looked exhausted and beaten up, but they were both smiling. Kushina was grinning madly at the camera while Minato offered a polite, half-shy smile.

Maybe tomorrow, he would have Cook prepare ramen for tomorrow's lunch. Naruto would like that.

* * *

><p><em>Dishonor<em>

* * *

><p><em><strong>Year Two and half<strong>_

Sasuke dodged the sword aimed at his head by quickly bringing up his own sword to parry his attacker's next swing. The two blades clashed, the force of the blow forced Sasuke back a bit, but he did not let his guard down, not after last time when Itachi managed to get a slice in on Sasuke's left shoulder.

The boy drew back and feinted with his sword and followed the attack with a swing of his scabbard. Itachi took the hit purposely, this allowed him to move inside the open space Sasuke had unintentially left open and slam the hilt of his sword into his sternum.

The air was forced out of his lungs in a harsh exhale that Itachi followed with a roundhouse kick.

This time Sasuke went down, he fell on his back, clutching his chest as he tried to draw in a breath. Itachi knelt beside his little brother and helped to pull him. From the corner of his eye, Itachi saw Iruka coming towards them with the first aid kit.

Sasuke grunted as Itachi felt for any broken bones along his ribcage. Upon finding none, Itachi pulled Sasuke to his feet and before stepping away to retrieve his sword.

"I think you need to spend another afternoon with Gai," Itachi told him as he watched Sasuke retrieve his own weapon.

The boy blanched as he turned to his brother with a look of absolute horror on his face, "You swore you would never do that again," the boy cried out in fear. "Not after last time."

"What other choice do I have? You keep leaving yourself open," Itachi said pointedly as he walked over to cooler that held two bottles of water. He tossed on to Sasuke before helping himself to his own. "You have two choices, you either become faster or you come up with a defense to protect yourself, if you don't you are going to end up with a kunai in your chest."

Dropping down on the dirt floor, Sasuke pulled off his shirt and used it to rub the sweat off his neck and chest. Itachi was walking back towards the weapon's stand looking to return his sword.

"We will pick this up again tomorrow." Itachi told him.

Sasuke looked up at his brother in surprise, "What? Why?" It was not normal for Itachi to end their training sessions early, especially with Sasuke's ANBU field exam less than a month away.

Itachi glanced back his little brother, an amused smile graced his face as he watched the kid pour half of bottle contents over his shaggy head. "Iruka invited me out on a double date with him and his girlfriend. Forgive me for wanted to spend time with other people other than dealing with your constant teenage angst."

The angsty teenager made an obscene gesture that had his older brother crowing in delight.

They sat there in silence for the moment, enjoying the peace and serenity of nature as they allowed their minds to drift over unimportant things. Sasuke wondered absently wondered if this latest girl was going to last with his brother. Over the last two years, since Itachi had been reinstated as shinobi of Konoha and the leader of the Uchiha Clan, women have been falling over themselves to become his wife. Sasuke was very pleased the pressure was off of him to find and bed a bride, but he wasn't ready to share his brother either.

His and Itachi's relationship was finally back on track. For the first year, Itachi had been walking on eggshells while trying to be everything for Sasuke and Sasuke resented him for it. They had a fight, a big one that went from physical to verbal before it finally ended with both brothers sobbing in each other's arms. Itachi needed forgiveness, what he had done—even though it was his duty—it was destroying him. Sasuke let go of his hate and the self-loathing he had been carrying around sense that night. He wanted his brother back and in the end, that was Sasuke had, but he wasn't ready to share Itachi with some else just yet.

An hour after Itachi had left for his double date with Iruka and his girlfriend, Sasuke lay on his bed staring at the his old framed photograph of his Genin team, his dark eyes fixed on scrunched up little face of his blond-haired teammate.

Sakura was still around but Sasuke did not feel the need to associate with her with Team Kakashi being on stand down until further notice. Kakashi had returned to the field in lieu of the Hokage's request. He had been promoted and now headed an advance ANBU tactical unit. Sasuke desperately wanted to be in unit. Only the best shinobi, masters really of the different branches were selected for this unit and this year, Sasuke was determined to make it.

After Itachi, Sasuke was the second youngest person to be named to ANBU. When he released from the hospital, Sasuke was told that by the Lady Hokage his performance during the Chunin Exam earned him the rank of Chunin and for was his prowess on the battlefield, Sasuke earned the rank of Jounin. At thirteen, Sasuke preformed a rare coup by achieving both ranks in less than year apart.

It had all seemed surreal at that moment. He remembered Kakashi quietly congratulating him and then Sakura was embracing him. Iruka had been in the background, his expression taunt as a woman with short black hair, whom name Sasuke would later learn was Shizune, was speaking quietly to the Academy teacher.

Iruka-sensei's shoulders tense as he shot the woman a withering look. She, in turn, grabbed his left arm, her small thought nails dug into Iruka's bicep as a spasm of irritation crossed her face at the teacher's hardening expression.

It was sublet gesture towards him, but Sasuke saw it and he read the inaudible words on Iruka's lips…

"…_have been Naruto, too."_

Laying on his bed, letting the aches and pains of the day's training settle into his body, Sasuke closed his eyes and imagined golden hair and laughing blue eyes. He thought of things boys should not think of, especially when it came to other boys who should have been…

"_It should have been Naruto…"_

*.*.*

With a raking grin dancing across his lips, Iruka turned around in his seat ready to ask Itachi get impression on date. The words died right on his lips and grumpily, Iruka snatched up his shot and downed it one glup.

"Don't tell me you don't like Aiko?" Iruka demanded sullenly. "Because I don't know what there isn't to like? She's smart, pretty, not superficial, and as a bonus, she has a nice rack, how could you not like her. At least for one night?"

Itachi gave his friend a slow, appraising glance before raising his cup of tea to his lips "Sasuke is not ready for me to start dating," he said quietly.

A look of incredulity made its mark on Iruka's face before the man dropped his face his cupped palms. "I knew it," he hissed under his breath.

Itachi gaze flicked over to the where their dates had disappeared going to washroom. "I have no intention of living as monk," Itachi told him. Then his dark eyes narrowed and beneath the table he kicked Iruka in the leg, "I am not going have a string of one stands, you freak. The goal was to find me a bloody wife, not a mistress."

Wincing, Iruka rubbed at his sore shin as he glared, "We should include Foolish in on this, then maybe you both could have a double wedding or something."

"One, Sasuke is only fifteen and he's nowhere near ready for marriage. And two—"

"We can still help him get a girlfriend or something?" The teacher suggested, "The younger girls in the village still want him even though he no longer the Uchiha heir."

"…and two," Itachi said coolly, he really hated to be interrupted, "Sasuke is gay."

First, Iruka's jaw dropped, then after a moment, his eyes narrowed as he regarded his best pal with suspicion. "You are shitting me, right?"

With a shake of his head, Itachi reached for his teacup. "I found him a weeks ago making out with some blond kid in his room." His nose wrinkled up in disgust. "I can handle him being gay, but I can't take him fucking in my house. That's where I live, sleep, take a shit, and eat—I don't even fuck in my own house and it is my house."

Slack-jawed and bewildered, Iruka could only watch helplessly as Itachi descended into a fit of hysteria all because his brother was sexually active. And it was eww, bit more information than he needed because, eww, Foolish was gay and looking at how that kid's has grown over the years (and was still growing) he most likely pounding the shit out some little blond kid—

"Aww, hell, it's in my head!" Iruka shrieked as he started to claw at his hair.

It was at that moment Iruka's girl friend and Itachi's date returned to the table.

* * *

><p><em>Dishonor<em>

* * *

><p>After Itachi had been released from the hospital there had been a tense moment not just between him and Sasuke, but with Itachi and the entire village.<p>

It shocking how easily people were manipulated. The history of the Uchiha clan had been changed to suit the propaganda that marked Itachi as a traitor. In the prefect version, the Uchihas had been one of the more honourable and respected clans in the village that wiped out by the power hungry and mad eldest son of the clan head.

The truth was pushed out fast by the Hokage, documents were released the exonerated Itachi yet tarnished the Uchiha name. Yet Tsunade did not allow that to go too far as the truth behind the Uchiha's sudden turn on the village was brought forth into the light. Mikoto's letters to the Hokage protesting against Naruto Namikaze's removal from her household were leaked the two important journals within the village. Those letters and several other important and very incriminating documents from the Council's office had been leaked and the villagers were asking questions.

Kidnappings, the denial of the Fourth Hokage's child, the stolen inheritances, and the authorized murders of several power shinobi, and then rumors of the elders betraying the village. The public's outcry of justice and the Lord Daimyo's demand for an investigation into all the allegations had now taken over major part of Konoha business. The Investigative Unit was working overtime-pulling documents and supeanoing witnesses, the Council elders and clan heads at the time of the any of the transgression were being summoned before special courts and military tribunals.

It was going on close to two years and the special prosecutor and the grand jury were still viewing the evidence for first of crime of treason against a Hokage and the Council. Danzo Shimura was dead. He had died while trying to assassinate the Hokage. Lady Tsunade had been alone in her office when Danzo during the height of the investigation into the ROOT organization and Danzo's activities since the Third Shinobi.

Iruka said it was singularly the most blatantly acts of stupidity he had ever heard in his entire, and Mizuki held that title for good long while. Danzo was never sloppy but this had been utter madness on the old man part that was in truth bewildering.

Maybe the pressure was getting to him, maybe he was just desperate for it all to come to an. Even his contemporaries were taking any path they could to escape the scrunty and the humiliations of being arrested and the prospect of facing a trial. Few were willing to brave it, they protested that they were doing what was only best for the village. It was a terrible lie that those now fallen and besmirched used to cloak their greed and self-righteousness.

Tsunade stared at the stone face of her teacher, wondering for the countless time how could he have allowed this to have happened.

Orochimaru was not going to simply go away, he was still after Sasuke and was he determined to kill Itachi.

Madra Uchiha was still out there, hiding in Ame, pulling together his mad-man's dream of world domination.

A sudden knock on her door had Tsunade turning away from the Hokage Mountain to face the girl Tsunade had taken as her student.

Sakura bowed to his master before placing the bound scroll that had just been delivered on the Lady Hokage's desk. The courier had come from Wave and he was waiting with Shizune who was looking at his injured ankle.

Tsunade put the scroll aside only to reach for a bound one that bore the Hokage's seals that she handed over to Sakura along with a money pouch. "Send a message Iruka Umino," Tsunade told the girl, "He is to appear before me as soon as he is able."

Sakura bowed and hurried to do as she ordered. At the door she hesitated, Tsunade looked up, curious as to what the girl would want to say and not doing what she was told.

Biting on her bottom lip, Sakura wanted to ask…

"Sakura, I don't have all day for you to dawdled. Hurry, child, I want Iruka here now."

Embarrassed, Sakura hurried out the door and ran to Shizune's office before hurrying off to find Iruka-sensei.

Once her door was closed, Tsunade opened Jiraya's report. She put aside Naruto's personal letters to Iruka without a glance as she devoted her attention on Naruto's latest achievement.

* * *

><p><em>Thanks for reading. <em>


End file.
